Background: Computational thinking (CT) is crucial to fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Many elementary schools have been cultivating students' CT through block-based programming languages such as Scratch using traditional teacher-centered teaching methods. However, the approach excessively relies on teacher lectures, so the…

Learning object oriented programming (OOP) has been a daunting and challenging task for students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Various literatures have suggested the use of technology as a way to improve students' understanding of the subject. In this study, the overall aim is to investigate the effect of Imikode- a virtual reality (VR)…

An educational computer game is presented, used for beginner students to introduce some basic concepts of code execution and code writing. In this mini-language microworld game, a code should be written with which a robot can escape from a procedurally generated labyrinth. The game uses a simple language and utilizes a virtual environment, where…

This study explored the impact of MetaClassroom, a virtual immersive programming learning environment designed based on the three-dimensional learning progression (3DLP) concept, on students' multidimensional development. Utilizing a quasi-experimental research design, this study compared students' programming learning achievements (PLA),…

Learning basic programming concepts in computer science-related fields poses a challenge for students, to the extent that it becomes an academic-social problem, resulting in high failure and dropout rates. Proposed solutions to the problem can be found in the literature, such as the development of new programming languages and environments, the…

Python is a free, text-based programming language that has already been used by those who do physics research to great effect. But students can also learn to use it and, through its use, learn other aspects of physics--especially ones that are difficult or impossible to perform as physical labs. This article serves as a most-fundamental start for…

The emergence of block-based environments aims to facilitate the problems caused by the abstractness of text-based languages. Recent studies generally focus on the effect of having block-based experience on programming education. This study is an attempt to observe the transfer of previous programming experiences (block-based vs. text-based) into…

This paper presents an approach to the initial programming learning using the four components instructional model and the Alice software. The quasi-experimental design was developed with two groups of students that attended two schools with very different socioeconomic status and school retention levels. The differences obtained in the mean of the…

In the 21st Century, Educators are called to thinking in broader terms about the purpose of technology in engaging learners to work on tasks that are meaningful to them. Through technology, as described in this paper, the researcher has attempted to broaden student engagement level by developing a more engaging online game framework. The research…

While pedagogical and technological affordances of three-dimensional (3D) multiuser virtual worlds in various educational disciplines are largely well-known, a study about their effect on high school students' engagement in introductory programming courses is still lacking. This case study presents students' opinions about their participation in a…

In this article we demonstrate how the combination of a system for dynamic geometry with a freely programmable scripting environment can be advantageously used in teaching and research. We explain the reasons behind various design decisions that were made by us when designing the language "CindyScript" and give examples that proof how…

Students in all areas of computing require knowledge of the computing device including software implementation at the machine level. Several courses in computer science curricula address these low-level details such as computer architecture and assembly languages. For such courses, there are advantages to studying real architectures instead of…

Almost all collegiate programs in Computer Science offer an introductory course in programming primarily devoted to communicating the foundational principles of software design and development. The ACM designates this introduction to computer programming course for first-year students as CS1, during which methodologies for solving problems within…

The relative positions of the sun, moon, and earth, their movements, and their relationships are abstract and difficult to understand astronomical concepts in elementary school science. This study proposes a three-dimensional (3-D) virtual reality (VR) model named the "Sun and Moon System." This e-learning resource was designed by…

Educational software tools are considered to enrich teaching strategies, providing a more compelling means of exploration and feedback than traditional blackboard methods. Moreover, software simulators provide a more motivating link between theory and practice than pencil-paper methods, encouraging active and discovery learning in the students.…